Cylinder valve assembly with actuatable on-off control
A cylinder valve assembly includes an actual on-off control subsystem. An intermediate chamber extends between a probe chamber and proximal chamber of the valve body along a main axis. A control port extends radially of the main axis. A valve pin is received by the intermediate chamber and movable between closed and open positions. A control plug is received by the control port and actuatable between on and off positions. Fluid communication between the proximal and probe chambers through the valve body is enabled when the valve pin is in the open position and the control plug is in the on position. Contrastingly, such fluid communication is prevented if either the valve pin is in the closed position or the control plug is in the off position. The control plug is preferably located in radial alignment along the main axis with at least a portion of the valve pin.
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This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/539,413 filed Jul. 31, 2017, the content of which is incorporated by this reference in its entirety for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates generally to the field of safety devices for the filling and venting of tanks for propane, butane, and other gases that are typically filled while at least primarily in the liquid state. More particularly, the present invention relates to valves and valve bodies in which both fill and pressure relief valves are mounted.
BACKGROUNDWhat is needed in the described technical field is a more axially-compact multi-functional valve assembly that can function as an interface between adapter fittings such as the CGA-600, and a gas cylinder configured to contain, for example, propane fuel under pressure.
SUMMARYCertain deficiencies of the prior are overcome by cylinder valve assemblies constructed, implemented and operated in accordance with the present disclosure.
Further advantages of the present invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art with the benefit of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and upon reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and may herein be described in detail. The drawings may not be to scale. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTSThe following description of preferred embodiments generally relates to combined fill and safety vent plugs. Such plugs serve to mount at least vent and fill valves in a single port in a pressure tank. Such plugs also provide for the mounting of dip tubes, when present, in a single port.
With particular reference to the figures, one or more non-limiting embodiments of a cylinder valve assembly with actuatable on-off control are shown generally at 100. Embodiments of a cylinder valve assembly 100 may comprise a valve body 106 extending along a main axis 208 between a proximal end 108 and a distal end 110. Referring to
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The valve body 106 may house or include provisions for a fill-dispense valve subsystem, an on-off (gating) control subsystem, an overfill relief subsystem, and an overpressure relief subsystem.
The fill-dispense subsystem may include a proximal chamber 148, a probe chamber 150, an intermediate chamber 152 therebetween, a valve pin 180, a valve pin axial seal 182, a valve pin seat 198, a valve pin radial seal 184, a probe seal 144, a bypass interface element 154, a sleeve 164, and a spring seat 188. The spring seat 188 may be, for example, press-fit or threaded into the proximal chamber 148 at the proximal end 108 of the valve body 106. The valve pin 180 may be movable between a closed position (e.g., as shown in
As illustrated, for example, in
The on-off (gating) control subsystem may include a bypass channel 166, a control channel 170 and a control port 168 plugably disposed therebetween. The bypass channel 166 is in fluid communication with the proximal chamber 148, and the control channel 170 is in fluid communication with the probe chamber 150. A control plug 172 may be disposed at least partially within the control port 168, and threadably movable therein between an off position (as shown, for example, in
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When the overpressure gasket 196 and valve axle 136 are in their overpressure seal position, pressurized gas is prevented from flowing from the overpressure channel 130 to the overpressure relief ports 138. In contrast, when the overpressure gasket 196 and valve axle 136 are in their overpressure relief position, pressurized gas is able to flow (see, e.g., overpressure flow path 206) from the overpressure channel 130 to the overpressure relief ports 138 and be expelled therefrom.
A preferred implementation of a cylinder valve assembly 100 with actuatable on-off-control in accordance with the present disclosure may comprise a valve body 106, a valve pin 180 and a control plug 172.
The valve body 106 may include a probe chamber 150 and a proximal chamber 148 disposed along a main axis 208, an intermediate chamber 152 extending along the main axis 208 between the probe chamber 150 and the proximal chamber 148, and a control port 168 extending radially of the main axis 206.
The valve pin 180 is preferably at least partially received by the intermediate chamber 152 and is movable along the main axis 208 between a closed position and an open position.
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While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A cylinder valve assembly with actuatable on-off-control, the assembly comprising:
- a valve body including (a) a probe chamber and a proximal chamber disposed along a main axis, (b) an intermediate chamber extending along the main axis between the probe chamber and the proximal chamber, and (c) a control port extending radially of the main axis;
- a valve pin at least partially received by the intermediate chamber and movable along the main axis between a closed position and an open position; and
- a control plug received by the control port and actuatable between an on position and an off position;
- wherein fluid communication between the proximal chamber and the probe chamber through the valve body is configured to be (a) enabled when the valve pin is in the open position and the control plug is in the on position, and (b) prevented if (i) the valve pin is in the closed position, or (ii) the control plug is in the off position; and
- wherein the control plug is located in radial alignment with at least a portion of the valve pin when the valve pin is in the closed position and the open position, the radial alignment being defined perpendicularly to the main axis.
2. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the valve body further includes
- (a) a bypass channel in fluid communication between the intermediate chamber and the control port; and
- (b) a control channel configured to, irrespective of whether the valve pin is in the closed position or open position, be in fluid communication between the control port and the probe chamber when the control plug is in the on position.
3. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein
- (a) the control channel includes a control valve seat; and
- (b) the control plug includes a control valve axial seal configured to (i) be in sealing engagement with the control valve seat when the control plug is in the off position, thereby sealing the control channel from fluid communication with the control port; and (ii) be disengaged from the control valve seat when the control plug is in the on position, thereby allowing fluid communication between the control channel and the control port.
4. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 3 further comprising a control plug lateral seal disposed about the control plug and configured to seal the control port from fluid communication with an ambient environment.
5. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 2 further comprising a valve pin radial seal for preventing fluid communication between the intermediate chamber and the probe chamber independently of the control port, the valve pin slidably extending through the valve pin radial seal.
6. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 5 further comprising a bypass interface element including
- (a) a pin relief bore through which the valve pin axially slidably extends, and
- (b) a bypass transfer port in fluid communication between the control channel and the probe chamber.
7. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein the bypass interface element axially retains the valve pin radial seal within an annular channel of the intermediate chamber.
8. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 7 further comprising a retention sleeve and an annular probe seal, the probe seal
- (a) being axially secured between the retention sleeve and the bypass interface element, and
- (b) configured to create a fluid seal between a lateral wall of the probe chamber and a connector probe inserted into the probe chamber.
9. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the control plug is threadedly actuatable between the on and off positions.
10. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein the control plug includes a tool engagement feature configured to be engaged by a torqueing tool external to the valve body to facilitate the threaded actuation.
11. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 1 further comprising a valve pin axial seal, wherein
- (a) the proximal chamber includes a valve pin seat,
- (b) when the valve pin is in the closed position, the valve pin axial seal engages the valve pin seat so as to seal the proximal chamber from fluid communication with the intermediate chamber, and
- (c) when the valve pin is in the open position, the valve pin axial seal is out of engagement with the valve pin seat so as allow the proximal chamber to be in fluid communication with the intermediate chamber.
12. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 11 further comprising a valve pin spring disposed between a spring seat and the valve pin, thereby resiliently-biasing the valve pin toward the closed position, the resilient bias being configured to be overcome by an axial force exerted by a connector probe inserted into the probe chamber.
13. A cylinder valve assembly comprising:
- a valve body including (a) a probe chamber and a proximal chamber disposed along a main axis, (b) an intermediate chamber extending along the main axis between the probe chamber and the proximal chamber, (c) a control port extending radially of the main axis, (d) a bypass channel in fluid communication between the intermediate chamber and the control port, and (e) a control channel including a control valve seat and being disposed between the control port and the probe chamber;
- a valve pin at least partially received by the intermediate chamber and movable along the main axis between a closed position and an open position; and
- a control plug received by the control port and being threadedly actuatable between an on position and an off position, the control plug including a control valve axial seal configured to (a) be in sealing engagement with the control valve seat when the control plug is in the off position, thereby sealing the control channel from fluid communication with the control port, and (b) be disengaged from the control valve seat when the control plug is in the on position, thereby allowing fluid communication between the control channel and the control port;
- wherein (a) when the valve pin is in the open position and the control plug is in the on position, the proximal chamber and the probe chamber are in fluid communication with one another through the valve body by way of the intermediate chamber, the bypass channel, the control port and the control channel, and (b) when either the valve pin is in the closed position or the control plug is in the off position, the proximal chamber and the probe chamber sealed from fluid communication with one another through the valve body.
14. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein the control plug is located in radial alignment along the main axis with at least a portion of the valve pin when the valve pin is in the closed position and the open position.
15. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 13 further comprising a valve pin radial seal for preventing fluid communication between the intermediate chamber and the probe chamber independently of the control port, the valve pin slidably extending through the valve pin radial seal.
16. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 15 further comprising a bypass interface element including
- (a) a pin relief bore through which the valve pin axially slidably extends, and
- (b) a bypass transfer port in fluid communication between the control channel and the probe chamber.
17. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 16 wherein the bypass interface element axially retains the valve pin radial seal within an annular channel of the intermediate chamber.
18. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 17 further comprising a retention sleeve and an annular probe seal, the probe seal
- (a) being axially secured between the retention sleeve and the bypass interface element and
- (b) configured to create a fluid seal between a lateral wall of the probe chamber and a connector probe inserted into the probe chamber.
19. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein the control plug includes a tool engagement feature configured to be engaged by a torqueing tool external to the valve body to facilitate the threaded actuation.
20. A cylinder valve assembly as defined in claim 13 further comprising an overfill relief subsystem and an overpressure relief subsystem.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Jul 31, 2018
Date of Patent: Dec 15, 2020
Patent Publication Number: 20190032789
Assignee: YSN Imports, Inc. (Gardena, CA)
Inventors: Shmuel Dovid Newman (Redondo Beach, CA), Chin-Cheng Chang (Taichung)
Primary Examiner: Kevin R Barss
Application Number: 16/050,970
International Classification: F16K 1/30 (20060101); F16K 5/04 (20060101); F17C 13/04 (20060101);